The present disclosure relates to a sheet conveying device for conveying sheets, and an image forming apparatus having the sheet conveying device incorporated in an internal sheet discharge space.
There is known an internal exit tray type image forming apparatus configured such that a space is formed in an apparatus body for discharging sheets after image formation. Such an image forming apparatus has the advantages that the space occupation ratio is made small and the installation space is made small, because a sheet tray or a like member does not project from the apparatus body. On the other hand, a post processing device for performing a post process such as a punching process or a stapling process on sheets may be optionally mounted to such an internal exit tray type image forming apparatus afterwards. Generally, a sheet discharge port is opened toward the internal sheet discharge space, and the internal sheet discharge space is relatively small. Therefore, it is difficult to mount the post processing device in such a space afterwards.
In view of the above, in the case where a post processing device is mounted afterwards, the post processing device is mounted to a side wall of the apparatus body, i.e., a side wall opposite to the side wall of the apparatus body where a sheet discharge port is formed, and a relay unit (sheet conveying device) having a function of conveying sheets is mounted in the internal sheet discharge space. The sheets are conveyed from the sheet discharge port to the post processing device via the relay unit.
As well as in the other sheet conveying paths, a sheet jam may occur in the relay unit. The relay unit may be configured to be easily mounted and dismounted to and from the apparatus body. In the above configuration, in the case where a sheet jam has occurred, the user may inadvertently draw the relay unit from the apparatus body. In the case where a sheet is jammed between the sheet discharge port of the apparatus body and the relay unit, the sheet may be torn when the user dismounts the relay unit. There is proposed an image forming apparatus provided with a sensor for detecting whether a sheet is stuck between the relay unit and the apparatus body in order to prevent such a drawback. In such an image forming apparatus, when the sensor detects a sheet stuck, alert information is generated to alert the user.
However, even if the information indicating a sheet stuck is issued, the user may be unaware of the information, and may draw the relay unit from the apparatus body. In such a case, the jammed sheet may be torn. Thus, the performance of removing a jammed sheet is poor.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a sheet conveying device having an enhanced performance of removing a jammed sheet, and an image forming apparatus incorporated with the sheet conveying device.